The Digital Generation Gap and the Management of Information

A lot of effort has gone into understanding the younger generation. Sometimes we call them "Millennials" or "Generation Y" or even "Digital Natives," but clearly those born after 1980 are having a very different adolescent experience than those of us born before. It's obvious when we look at how youth engage with technology, the Internet, mobile devices, and each other, especially when it comes to social media. This is the new generation gap - the divide in how millennials develop relationships compared to the older generation.

Years ago the world of teen interaction was relatively small compared to today. It consisted of seeing friends at school and during weekend plans. But now, with social media and social networking, a young person's social world just got bigger. Young people today are increasingly using online services, in addition to Facebook, to communicate and share with others. They are segregating their communications, choosing different audiences to receive different messages and curating their online reputation. Their parents and the general public may see a pleasant, "Having a GREAT day at school" post on Facebook, while close friends or teens they don't know may see, "My history teacher is the WORST!" on Instagram and other social media networking sites. Teens find it much more interesting when they get likes and shares and comments and interactions from people who they don't know - it's instant online popularity, but at what price? (For a view of some of the apps youth are turning to, in addition to Facebook, consider Common Sense Media's article, 11 Sites and Apps Kids Are Heading to After Facebook.)

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